Messaging applications such as email applications, group text messaging applications, and private messaging applications enable users to communicate with each other. Such messaging applications allow messaging for individual users and multiple users. When a given user sends a message to another user, the messaging thread may include the name and a photo of the sending user. This facilitates a recipient user in recognizing the sending user. To enable a messaging thread to include a photo of the sending user, the sending user typically goes through a series of steps in order to use a particular photo in messaging threads. For example, a user may access a particular folder containing photos, select a desired photo, and then upload the photo in order to use the photo in the messaging system. Once set up, the messaging system may then include the photo in future messaging threads.